ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [Aug. 9, 2024]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., Aug. 9, 2024.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 33^rd week of 2024.

Since my last newsletter, I’ve participated in three commemoration events on the 50^th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. It’s been very meaningful to me, to listen to veterans and present them their lapel pins. We gave out over a dozen at the Fair, a dozen on Camano last week, and 50 at yesterday’s event in Coupeville (thank you, NASWI XO, Commander Overn, for joining us). This recognition of Vietnam-era service members will continue through Veterans Day 2025, so there will be other opportunities over the coming months for Vietnam-era veterans to receive their lapel pins and participate in a recognition event. For example: the Whidbey Veterans Resource Center will hold their annual Veterans and Community Picnic on September 8, noon – 4 pm, which will be another chance to get a pin. Contact whidbeyvrc@gmail.com for more information about this event.

All of Island County is now closed for the recreational harvest of all shellfish due to biotoxin. This includes all species of shellfish: clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, snails and other invertebrates (not crab or shrimp – clean crab well and do not consume the guts and butter). Always check the Washington State Department of Health’s Shellfish Safety Map immediately before and after you harvest shellfish. For more information about recreational shellfish harvesting, including crabbing, please visit the recreational shellfish website

• Regular Session.  The agenda and video recording for the Tuesday August 6 Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • Our Board Room has a new microphone system. Hopefully this will make our recordings easier for you to hear clearly, at least after we figure out how to use them correctly.
  • We heard public comment from 10 residents of the Cascade View community, concerned about a code enforcement issue in their neighborhood. We also heard from a citizen who would like the Planning department to provide a more advanced schedule of events related to Comprehensive Planning.
  • We approved Resolution C-34-24, Updating the policies for the Rural County Economic Development Infrastructure Investment Program (RCED grants). Mark 00:31:00 in the recording.
  • The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 13. This is the agenda. On that agenda: Resolution C-36-24, Authorizing the joining of a lawsuit against the Departments of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) with RCW 13.40.185 and RCW 72.01.410, Compliance with court order, and other remedies; and Resolution C-13-24, Adopting the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Periodic Update.
• Upcoming BOCC Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • August 20: Taft Franchise
  • August 20: Prim & Dirske Franchise
  • August 27: Marshall Drainage District
  • Sept 10 (pending BOCC approval of date): Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
  • Sept 17 (pending BOCC approval of date):  Budget Amendment
  • Sept 17 (pending BOCC approval of date):  Glenwood Beach water franchise
  • Sept 24 (pending BOCC approval of date):  Ziply

• Budget Workshops. It is that time of year again. We held three budget meetings this week—and there’s many more to come!
  • Budget meetings are open to the public. The Budget Workshop schedule remains a bit in flux. You will be able to find the most current version of the schedule of upcoming budget meetings here.
• Work Session. The agenda for the August 7^th work session is here; the recording is here.
  • We started with Human Services. Mike Etzell, our Developmental Disabilities Program Coordinator, spoke about the successes we are seeing with our school-to-work program—so successful is our program, in fact, that other counties are turning to Island County to mentor them in how to put such programs together, and the State is paying for Mike to train those counties in how to set those programs up.
  • The Superior Court Administrator brought a couple of contracts for us to consider. During discussion of one of these, Commissioner Johnson spoke about the complexities of the Court and guardianship, mark 0:34:35 in the recording.
  • We received an update on future options for expansion of Broadband in our County. The discussion begins at mark 0:43:03; the presentation begins on page 61 of the agenda.
  • Public Works brought us the final draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP), mark 1:37:50 in the recording, documents beginning on page 82 of the agenda.
  • The Board began a discussion with Public Works on the Parks Element of the Comprehensive Plan. We asked Public Works to bring the conversation back to the Board for a much longer discussion, due to the importance of parks to the public. The documents on this element begin on page 94 of the agenda; the discussion begins at mark 2:07:30 in the recording.
  • The agenda for the August 14^th work session is here. On next week’s agenda: Discussion with Sheriff about drug enforcement, discussion with Long Range Planning regarding buildable land analysis, and Budget Workshops.
• Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Update: This is a link to the Planning Commission page. You can find details on their meetings and minutes, including Zoom info, here. The Planning Commission meets at 6 pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of each month; the agendas are published at least a week in advance.
• Washington State University will hold a Forestry Planning Series at Bayview Corner beginning in September.  This class is geared toward stewardship of our trees and forested land, including appropriate thinning. Often, when most people hear “forest,” they assume this refers to large acreage.  But a forest can be any number trees you might have, whether it is one, 25, or 200.  They are all important.  So this training is suitable for owners of all sizes of forests. More information here.
• Island Transit is recruiting for their Executive Director position.
• I am available every Monday to meet with citizens in Coupeville and Freeland, and also once a month in Clinton. Monday, August 12th : Cedar & Salt in Coupeville, 1:30 – 2:30; Wi Fire Community Space in Freeland, 3 – 4. In September I will begin holding occasional Listening Sessions with Veterans at the Whidbey Veterans Resource Center. The first one is scheduled for Friday, September 20 at 2 pm.

This Wednesday, August 7, was Purple Heart Day. To our Purple Heart medal recipients: thank you for your selfless service and sacrifice. 

Melanie

“Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and shall forever be revered by his fellow countryman.”

~ George Washington

---